We’ve made it through another month, folks. It just seems like yesterday we were amazed that it was already October and next week we turn the Calendar to November. The holiday season kicks off tomorrow with Halloween. Are you ready? Candy and costumes bought? This will be our first Halloween in our new home, so it will be interesting to see how our neighborhood celebrates. The girls are excited, of

As parents we have lots of responsibilities. Sometimes we innately know them and sometimes we don’t. As I have shared countless times before, I believe financial literacy is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. And today, it is a gift because most kids leave home with non-existent money life skills. Those who have financial confidence and have been taught how to make good decisions with their

I always enjoy talking with other parents about raising kids. It is interesting to get their perspective and insight and to also see where we differ. There are lots of opinions on how to raise children, but there is probably no universally correct way to raise a child or guarantee they will turn into well-adjusted, productive adults. As you can imagine, I am always advocating financial literacy in these conversations.

Looking in from the outside, I always assumed that being a parent was a rewarding job but also hard work. I learned how true that was when I became a parent. I am a Mom, first and foremost, and it’s a title and job that I love. It also takes great effort, endless patience and much love to do it well. As a parent, you hold such tremendous power in

We’ve been an experiencing a very hot October in LA, so it doesn’t feel much like Fall here. But according to my calendar, we’re halfway through the month, which means Thanksgiving is about 5 weeks away and Christmas will be here in 10 short weeks. Yikes! Fall is always such a busy time of the year as we jump from holiday-to-holiday. Of course, that is what also makes it fun,

As I have shared with you before, motherhood wasn’t initially on my radar for many, many years. When Chris and I got married, we were both very focused on building our careers and exploring the world together. We both watched, with genuine delight, as siblings and friends became Moms and Dads and loved spoiling our nieces and nephews, but we still weren’t ready to become parents ourselves. After 13 years

Halloween is a holiday that many people look forward to every year because they enjoy carving pumpkins, dressing up and watching scary movies. Plus, there are no expectations around giving or receiving gifts, so it’s more low-key than Christmas or Valentine’s Day. We simply think of it as a fun, no-pressure holiday to enjoy with family and friends. As I shared on Monday, it is also a holiday that provides

We’re just settling into October, so it may seem a bit early to start planning for Halloween, but it will be here before you know it. And the reason most people end up overspending (on anything) is because they didn’t give themselves enough time to plan appropriately. The holiday snuck up on them, so now they have to make fast decisions and may not have the money to cover expenses.

We’re closing in on the last few months of 2015. I look back and marvel at what a crazy, busy and fulfilling year it has been. I hope you feel the same way. We have three months remaining in 2015, and depending on your perspective, you either have plenty of time left to achieve your goals or you are starting to panic. Regardless, there is still enough time to feel

Meet Shannon

"As a Certified Financial Planner, it is my passion to help individuals and families build a healthy relationship with money. I look forward to helping you raise financially confident kids.” - Shannon Ryan